McAdam’s Passing

McAdam’s Passing

Jim McAdam’s main hobby was woodcraft. While on leave, he died of hypertensive coronary vascular disease on 27 February 1959 at Margate, Queensland, and was cremated. His wife, son and two daughters survived him. 27The Cavanaugh family were on long service leave in 1958 and visited Jim and Eileen McAdam at their home in Margate Brisbane. Jim was doing handstands and standing on his head a couple of months or so before he died in February 1959. He was still very fit and liked to show off to the children. Only Joan the youngest daughter returned to the Territory. She was the French teacher at Port Moresby High for many years. 28Evan Shield was interviewed by Jim McAdam - with two others now forgotten - in Brisbane in 1957 ... flown down from and back to Townsville for the occasion ... My cadetship with the Administration resulted ... and I have long regretted the fact that this was my sole acquaintance with the great man ... He died before I completed second year at UQ about two years later and, of course, was replaced by Bill Suttie. His obituary makes mention of his prowess at rugby ... and my guess he would have made a formidable opponent ... it was said that he could run 100 yards in even time. Linden George (Jim) Cavanagh I knew well ... We worked in proximity for about three years in (the less than salubrious) Forestry HQ, in those days, the former Kone Club building. In 1963 a magnificent park of some 5000 acres (2024 ha) near Wau in the Bulolo Gorge was named after him. It includes outstanding forests of Hoop and Klinkii Pines in which he had shown interest. Jim received the Coronation Medal for his services to New Guinea.

Photo Credit Ian Whyte McAdam Park Wau 1975.

27 Personal communication Linda Cavanaugh Manning 9th April 2019. 28 Personal communication Evan Shield 2019.